Abstract

1Orhun Sinanoglu, Fatih Kurtulus and Feride Sinem Akgun

Urethral stricture is known to be caused by scar formation leading to urethral lumen stricture in subepithelial tissue. It is the most common late complication following transurethral prostate resection (TURP). The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of colchicine treatment in preventing recurrence of urethral stricture in patients after internal urethrotomy, and to determine whether colchicine treatment had a sustained effect in decreasing recurrence of urethral strictures in patients with concomitant diseases. Medical data of patients who had anuria or voiding difficulty and internal urethrotomy in Urology Department of Maltepe University Hospital between January 1, 2011 and December 2016 were collected, and were randomized to colchicine receiver and no-receiver arms. Colchicine was given 1 g/day orally (2x0.5 mg) for two months, and primary efficacy point was defined as whether urethral stricture was developed in 3, 6, and 12 months after internal urethrotomy in both study arms. The study was conducted on 84 males with the mean age of 67.7±7.5 (range= 54-84) years. The mean ages of colchicine receivers and non-receivers were 68.2±7.6 and 67.1±7.6 years, respectively. Recurrence rate of urethral stricture was significantly lower in colchicine receivers (14.6%) than non-receivers (32.6%) (p=0.044 and p<0.05, respectively). In overall evaluation, recurrence rate of urethral stricture was not correlated with an individual concomitant disease, but the rates were increased in the presence of three or four comorbidities. Combination of oral colchicine with internal urethrotomy reduces recurrence rates of urethral stricture recurrence rate significantly.